Outside of her hometown of Boston, Annie Londonderry remained relatively obscure among American pioneers.
But the first woman to ride a bicycle in the world finally gained notoriety thanks to a 2023 musical stage by Freya Catrin Smith and Jack Williams that the London public went to see.
Now “Ride” by Smith and Williams is making its US premiere at the Old Globe Theatre.
“This show has always been an American story,” said Sarah Meadows, who directs “Ride” in Balboa Park, as she did in London. “Unless his natural home was there.”
The story of Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, who was nicknamed “Londonderry” by the sponsors of her “worldwide feat”, takes place between 1894 and 1895. A Jewish woman from a working-class background, Annie undertook a bet a search. which was as much about herself as it was about circumnavigating the globe on wheels.
A wife and mother of three living in oppressive Victorian times, “Annie said she had to do something radical to change her life,” explained Meadows. “I connected with the idea of this woman who was bold, brave, making big changes in her life for the better. It was such an amazing message.”
A real bicycle is seen on stage only briefly in “Ride”, whose characters are Annie and her secretary Martha. Both tell the story of Annie’s journey in words and song – mostly based on facts.
“The whole raison d’etre of Annie,” said Meadows, “is that the narrative is more important than the truth. It’s at the fundamental heart of her journey in the piece.”
A historic image of Annie Londonderry taken in 1896, the year after she returned from her round-the-world bicycle trip.
(Wikimedia Commons / Studio Toune)
The author Peter Zheutlin, who wrote a biography about Londonderry called “Around the world on two wheels”, she said she is recognized as the first female international sports star in the world. On June 25, 1894, Londonderry set off from the Massachusetts State House on a 42-pound Columbus bicycle for men to the cheers of 500 friends, family, suffragists and spectators.
Londonderry, 23, embarked on her journey to not only win a $10,000 prize, but to prove that women had the physical endurance and mental strength to complete a solo global adventure. He traveled in men’s pants, carried a gun and earned money along the way to support his journey by selling pictures of himself and turning it into a mobile billboard for advertisers, Zheutlin wrote.
Along the way he traveled through France, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan and crossed the deserts of the Southwestern United States on horseback on railroad tracks. The journey is not without its obstacles. While cycling through Stockton, she was stolen from a horse and buggy and spent two days in hospital recovering. And in Marseille, France, she was held up by three robbers who escaped with a few francs, according to the newspapers of the time.
A photograph of Annie Londonderry, whose adventures riding a bicycle around the world in the 1890s is the subject of “Ride,” a musical making its US premiere at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego.
(Courtesy photo)
Meadows was thrilled by the reception the musical “Ride” received in London.
“When we did in just three weeks the first version of the show, we had to go with our instincts,” he recalled. “I was surprised how the fan base grew, with people who had seen the show many times.”
The “Ride” that San Diego audiences will have with this musical is reimagined from the original London production, Meadows said, taking advantage of a larger theater, for one thing.
“This show has always been bigger than it could have been,” he said. “We’ve never been in a space big enough to make the choices we want to make. This (the Globe) feels like a natural space for us where we can make bigger gestures with storytelling while bringing it home, in the country where you come from”.
Alex Finke, who Meadows calls “a magical person,” plays Annie at the Old Globe, with Livvy Marcus as Martha. Finke starred in La Jolla Playhouse’s Broadway production of the musical “Come From Away” and Marcus appeared in the 2019 Old Globe production of the musical “Life After.”
New York-based Finke remembers being taken with the script from the start.
“What jumped off the page was how charismatic this woman was,” he said, “and how funny and smooth to talk to. The show is beautifully written and the score is incredible. Everything feels very seamless.”
Finke described the role as “a challenge I’ve always wanted. At this time (late 1800s), women had to do something wild. It was exciting to meet this truly incredible human being who was so ahead of its time.”
Not just women, but anyone should find a message in Annie Londonderry, said Finke: “Everyone has the strength within them to go after their dreams and change their circumstances.”
During the pre-opening test period, Finke was physically in character as the role of bicycle Annie prescribed. “I want to go to work every day, both Libby and I,” he said. “We are very methodical in our approach.”
‘rough’
By the time: Previews, Saturday to Thursday. It opens on April 5th and runs until April 28th. 7 pm Tuesday and Wednesday; 8 pm Thursday and Friday; 2 and 8 pm on Saturday; Sunday 2 and 7 o’clock
Where: Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego
The tickets: $29 and up
phone: (619) 234-5623
Online: theoldglobe.org
Coddon is a freelance writer.
